


Calling, Calling!

by raptor_moon



Series: Coming Home [1]
Category: Iron Man (Movies)
Genre: Civil War Team Iron Man, Hurt Tony Stark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-09
Updated: 2018-08-28
Packaged: 2019-06-24 05:25:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15623532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raptor_moon/pseuds/raptor_moon
Summary: How did Tony get home from Siberia?  Help can come from unexpected places.





	1. The Countdown Starts

“Boss!  Boss!”  Suit communications are down.  I have lost father.  Start timer 00:00:00:00.000

 

00:01:00:00.000 Pings to suit remain unresponsive.  Last GPS location on file.

 

Emergency Contact 1 – James Rhodes

Status: unavailable - currently being prepped for second surgery to stabilize spinal injury.

 

Emergency Contact 2 – Virginia “Pepper” Potts

Status: “On a break” – do not contact 

 

Emergency Contact 3 – Vision

Status: unavailable – not responding to requests for contact

 

Emergency Contact 4 – Avengers Roster

Captain America – Steve Rogers

Status: unavailable – international criminal

Black Widow – Natasha Romanoff

Status: unavailable – Wanted by Ross for accords violation – interfering with apprehension of Steve Rogers

Falcon -  Sam Wilson

Status: unavailable – international criminal

Red Witch -  Wanda Maximoff

Status: “Do not contact ever”- unavailable – international criminal

Hawkeye – Clint Barton - retired

Status: unavailable – international criminal

 

Retry Contacts 1 & 3 in 1 hour

 

 

00:02:00:00.000 Pings to suit remain unresponsive. 

 

Emergency Contact 1 – James Rhodes

Status: unavailable – in surgery to stabilize spinal injury.

 

Emergency Contact 3 – Vision

Status: unavailable – not responding to requests for contact

 

Emergency Contact 4 – Avengers Roster

Dr. Bruce Banner

Status: unavailable – location unknown

Thor

Status: unavailable – location unknown

Emergency Contact 5 - S.H.I.E.L.D.

Status: unavailable – defunct since discovery of HYDRA in ranks

 

Retry Contacts 1 & 3 in 1 hour

 

 

00:03:00:00.000 Pings to suit remain unresponsive. 

 

Emergency Contact 1 – James Rhodes

Status: unavailable – still in surgery to stabilize spinal injury.

 

Emergency Contact 3 – Vision

Status: unavailable – not responding to requests for contact

 

Emergency Contact 6   

Spiderman – Peter Parker

Status: minor – do not contact

 

Emergency Contact 7

Harley Keener  

Status: minor – do not contact

 

Retry Contacts 1 & 3 in 1 hour

 

 

00:04:00:00.000 Pings to suit remain unresponsive. 

 

Emergency Contact 1 – James Rhodes

Status: unavailable – in recovery – surgery “Went well”

 

Emergency Contact 3 – Vision

Status: unavailable – not responding to requests for contact

 

Emergency Contact 8

Black Panther – Prince T’Challa

Status: unknown – location Wakanda

Attempt to contact Wakanda

 

“Princess Shuri, we have an external contact on our servers?”

The princess turned toward the technician.  She had been monitoring things since her brother dropped off Mr. Rogers and the Winter Soldier.  She had deactivated the remains of the tech on his shoulder so it would not cause pain and then left the doctors to deal with him.  Her brother had then left Wakanda to turn Zemo in to the UN, but she had not yet heard how that was going.  “Hostile?”

“It has a similar signature to the benevolent force that we saw during Ultron’s attempts to get at various weapons systems around the world.”

“So a Stark AI?” Shuri was intrigued.  Thanks to the properties of vibranium, Wakandan tach was advanced in many areas, but even she had not been able to create sentient artificial intelligences and Dr. Stark had supposedly created several.

“Make sure the server is isolated, and then allow access.”

“Yes, Princess”

 

00:04:23:32.279  - Contact initiated.

“Hello, I am trying to reach Prince T’Challa of Wakanda, the Black Panther.  Please, Boss needs help!“

”This is Princess Shuri of Wakanda.  Who are you and why does your Boss need our assistance?”

“Your Highness, I am FRIDAY, an artificial intelligence created by Tony Stark.  I lost contact with the iron man armor over four hours ago. The suit had been severely compromised and Boss’ vitals indicated high stress and probable injuries prior to loss of contact.”

“Surely, he has many allies who could assist him?”

“Colonel Rhodes is in the hospital still listed in serious condition.  Vision is failing to respond to requests for communication.  The remainder of the Avengers roster is either considered an international criminal or under suspicion for abetting one and Secretary Ross is trying to use Boss’ legal pursuit of Rogers and the Winter Soldier against him.  There is no one I can send to rescue him.”

Shuri paused.  Surely a man of Dr. Stark’s reputation would not be alone and yet….

She recalled hearing the Captain assure her brother that Stark was fine and he had merely disabled the suit long enough for him to free Sergeant Barnes.  But how well would a man who “died” before the first atomic bomb was dropped understand the workings of a high tech device like the Iron Man armor.  Could he accurately judge the level of damage inflicted and Stark’s ability to repair the suit in a remote location while possibly injured?  Her brother had not gone back to check in his eagerness to right his wrong against Barnes and bring the right man to justice for father’s death.  Had he in his haste condemned another?  Now Dr. Stark’s AI was reaching out, desperately calling for anyone to save her creator.  The machine sounded frantic, the monumental achievement in itself.  Would her brother believe a machine over the word of “Captain America?” 

Shuri turned to her assistant.  “Contact the medical team to prepare the emergency transport.  We have a mission of mercy to complete.”

“Friday, send us his last known location.  We’ll find your Boss and bring him home.”


	2. There's No Reply

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Help arrives in Siberia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the cliffhanger...

00:05:00:00.000 Pings to suit remain unresponsive. 

Emergency Contact 1 – James Rhodes  
Status: has regained consciousness – has not yet inquired as to Boss’ status

Emergency Contact 3 – Vision  
Status: unavailable – not responding to requests for contact

Tracking Princess Shuri on the Wakandan Medical Transport Vessel.  
Estimated arrival at last known suit location 00:06:12:37.026.

DUM-E assures me that Boss has been out of contact for longer and come back ok – reference files Afghanistan – but I do not like this. How did JARVIS handle not knowing?

 

00:05:38:04.758

Colonel Rhodes has requested an update on Boss’ status - Relayed that he went to apprehend Rogers and Barnes under the Accords and went radio silent, awaiting update. Per Mother Hen Protocol during hospitalization I am not to inform Colonel Rhodes of lack of response from suit, known or suspected injuries to Boss until Colonel Rhodes is at least 24 hours post surgery, is listed in stable or better condition, and directly requests information.

 

00:06:00:00.000 Pings to suit remain unresponsive. 

Emergency Contact 1 – James Rhodes  
Status: recovering from surgery – upgraded to stable, Mother Hen Protocol countdown clock begun. 

Emergency Contact 3 – Vision  
Status: unavailable – not responding to requests for contact

I do not understand the human emotion of guilt. Vision is struggling with emotions and I suspect this might be the reason he has broken contact: Guilt over his part in Colonel Rhodes’ injury. But if something has happened to Boss because of this delay in locating assistance, won’t that cause more guilt? At least Princess Shuri should arrive at Boss’ last known location soon.

 

00:06:14:28.753 Medical Transport has arrived at Siberian Bunker, Boss’ last known coordinates. 

Princess Shuri stepped off the medical transport with 2 members of Dora Milage and 3 Wakandan Military Medical Technicians. They had no directions besides “in the bunker” but as she proceeded forward she noticed that the doors had been ripped from hinges as if a super-soldier had barged in with little regards for stealth. Snow had blow through the doorway and the temperature was dropping rapidly with the setting sun. She was grateful for her mountain gear and realized that frostbite was a very real danger for a man trapped in a disabled metal suit. “We should hurry.” She declared but realized she had no clue of which way to go. 

One of the Dora indicated a direction from scuff marks on the floor, so they headed that way. A few minutes later they were in a room filled with cryotubes. She had to scrape a fresh layer of ice from the tubes and was horrified that the Winter Soldiers had been killed while helpless in hibernation, while relieved that they would not be facing a Winter Soldier in their quest. They left the cryo-tubes and proceeded down the corridor to a doorway where flickering light spilled out. 

She entered into what looked like a disused missile silo where a video played on a loop. She saw a car violently crash as its tires were blown out and Sergeant Barnes, his face half hidden by a mask, stalk up to the car. The driver recognized the Soldier and asked him to help his wife, but the Winter Soldier bashed the man’s skull into the steering wheel. Once dead, he went to the other side and strangled the wife, then removed something from the trunk and shot the camera recording the kill. The tape looped. After watching in morbid fascination a second time, she went searching for a way to turn it off. As the woman was strangled on tape for a third time, Shuri succeeded and darkness and silence descended on the room. A soft sob broke the stillness. The Dora rounded on the source of the sound with spears raised, only to find the remains of the iron man armor. A foot-long slightly curved gouge ran across the chest and main power supply. The facemask had been ripped off in battle and the face within was too pale, except for bruises around his eye and the trail of blood from a gash on his forehead. Tear tracks ran down his cheeks and she suddenly recognized the resemblance and realized the significance of the video. 

“Dr. Stark?”

The man drew in a shuddering breath, wincing as he spoke. “127 times I have watched my mother be murdered. Thank you for stopping the video.” He whispered weakly and closed his eyes.

“Dr. Stark is there a manual release for the suit? I’ve brought medical assistance.”

“Friday can direct you.” He began coughing and brought up blood, his eyes rolling back in his head as he passed out.

“His pulse is weak, we need to get him out of this armor now!” The medical team looked concerned which had Shuri greatly worried.

“But our interface with Friday is back in the lab...” Shuri sighed. “How can we get in touch with her now?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the long block of text. I have tried to put the white space I had for readability back in that disappeared when I posted, but it is fighting me.


	3. Are You Recieving?

00:06:27:13.057

Shuri startled when her phone began to ring. She was confused because everyone she knew communicated by kimoyo bead, she only had the phone to communicate with her father and brother when they were out in public beyond Wakanda’s borders to keep the advanced nature of Wakandan tech hidden. Her father was dead and her brother was dealing the turning Zemo into the authorities, so who would call her. They were of course Starkphones, as that was the best tech available outside of Wakanda. The caller ID was lit up. 

“FRIDAY?” Shuri tentatively answered.

“Yes, I can communicate through any Stark device.” FRIDAY stated. ”There is an emergency release next to where the faceplate attaches to the helmet approximately behind where the ear would be, but as I lost communications when the faceplate was ripped off, that one may be too damaged. If it works you have to depress a finger into the hole and rotate the switch inside.” Friday brought up a schematic which Shuri showed to the medtech closest, but as feared it did not work. 

“There is a secondary switch, the ARB. Princess, please hand your phone to the medical personnel and step away.” Shuri started to protest. FRIDAY interrupted. “You are not over 21 years old. By my programming you are still considered a minor and Boss would be upset if I allow a minor to quote “be tainted by my many character flaws, which include my warped sense of humor developed in my playboy days.”

The medical team had him on oxygen but could do nothing more until getting him out of the armor. The Medical Team Leader waved her hand impatiently. “Please Princess, I don’t know if he has much time.”

She handed over her phone and stepped away, but activated the listening function she had programmed in her kimoyo beads. 

“To access the Anal Release Button, reach between Boss’ legs and up the butt seam of the armor. You will again need to depress the button inward and then find and rotate the switch inside the hole.”

The princess suppressed a gasp and snicker. She really hoped Dr. Stark survived. She wanted to learn more about his AI creations and she was sure her brother would be scandalized by the man.

The medtech raised an eyebrow but did as instructed. After a bit of shifting and wiggling that forced a moan from the previously unconscious man, the armor fell to pieces around him. The medical team swarmed into action.

Shuri had turned to face the sound and saw the medical team attempting to remove the chest armor, but it had cut deeply into the man’s chest in an arc. She looked away and saw Barnes’ mechanical arm and Captain America’s shield against the wall, panther claw marks across the star and blood along one edge. She realized with a gasp that the curve of the shield matched the gouge on the armor and exactly how Captain America had “disabled” it. That man was painfully ignorant if he truly believed he had disabled it without injuring the man inside.

She directed one of the Dora to pick up the arm and shied, while she popped out the video tape and observed the signs of a battle. She noticed an observation room with more modern technology and went in to explore. There she found a computer and recording equipment. She saw that someone had recorded the entire battle, from Stark’s first viewing of the video and his understandable emotional response, to Steve Roger’s betrayal and the escalation of the fight. She gathered the materials, figuring she would make a copy on the transport and give the originals back. She was not going to let Dr. Stark take the fall for this. 

She came back into the silo, hearing the medical team prepping him for transport and shouting out terms like hypothermic, crushed ribcage, flail chest, shattered sternum, probable lung puncture, internal bleeding and tension pneumothorax. It did not sound good. And while Barnes may have been innocent of her father’s death and a tool of HYDRA as the Winter Soldier in Dr. Stark’s parent’s deaths, the same could not be said for him and Rogers if Dr. Stark does not survive his injuries. And the fact that her brother never checked on Dr. Stark and spent over six hours in the cold and dark, alone with the video and bleeding out…

Shuri was torn, she was confident that Wakandan medical technology was superior, but Dr. Cho was familiar with Dr. Stark’s rather unique medical history and the Cradle was closer. Also, she feared Roger’s reaction and the possible repercussions for her people, so she directed the transport toward Dr. Cho. She spent the rest of the trip reassuring a worried AI that her Boss was receiving the best possible care.


	4. We're Standing By

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waiting for news and arriving home

00:13:24:36.243

Over six hours…Dr. Stark had been in surgery for over six hours. The Dora had tried to convince Shuri to return to Wakanda, but she could not bring herself to leave until she could hear from the doctor again. Shuri was doing her best to reassure FRIDAY, but FRIDAY was distracted as she was monitoring the surgery. So Shuri knew exactly when Dr. Stark’s heart had stopped and how long it took to restart it, each of the three times it happened while Dr. Cho attempted to repair the damage. His sternum was replaced with a spider web of rods until a new artificial sternum could be obtained. The cadaver replacement had shattered into shrapnel tearing through the chest cavity and lungs, requiring hours of work stitching up holes. Resetting the dislocated knee and setting the broken radius and ulna was minor in comparison. A drain was paced for the subdural hematoma that the scans had shown. His fingertips, toes and even his nose were blackened from frostbite and she feared they were not in time to save the genius’ hands. She stifled a gasp at the sight at the man and his numerous injuries as he was lowered into the Cradle. Dr. Cho followed her gaze.

“The Cradle should be able to repair the tissue and nerve damage in his hands and feet.” Dr. Cho attempted to reassure the young princess. “Even the broken bones in his arm and ligament damage in his leg should be better in less than a week, but he can’t regrow a new sternum. I have inserted rods so his chest won’t collapse, but if he recovers from the damage to his chest cavity, he will be looking at another major surgery in the near future. As it is we should know how full a recovery is possible in about twelve to twenty-four hours. I’ll have FRIDAY contact you as soon as we know something, but for now all we can do is wait.”

 

00:17:34:24.231

It was late, well actually early morning in Wakanda when they arrived back, so Shuri did not expect to see any one when she arrived back at her quarters, so she was startled to find her mother waiting up for her in her sitting room. After the stresses of the day, she was so relieved to see her mom that she rushed to hug her. 

Ramonda rethought the scolding she was going to give her daughter for rushing off without telling her and held her tight. “What is wrong my little one? Did the rescue mission not go well?”

Shuri smiled at the childhood endearment. “He might not make it. Mom, did you ever meet the Starks?”

“What an odd question?” She thought back. “Yes, we did. It was at a charity gala for the hunger crisis in Africa in the late 80’s. Maria Stark was so good at organizing and raising funds to help others. Her son has tried to keep and expand on many of the charities she started. Howard was intelligent and charming, working a room with ease. Their son Anthony was at the event, a young teenager, I was surprised at the time to learn he was already in college. He was rather sullen while doing the usual meet and greet, but I remember him escaping the adults and entertaining some of the children present with science demonstrations. T’Challa was maybe five or six at the time, so he probably doesn’t remember, but that started his fascination with science.”

“They were killed.”

“Yes, in a car accident. It was tragic. I remember wondering how that young man was dealing with it. I was not surprised by some of the press showing him going a bit off the rails.”

“No, mom. They were killed, assassinated by the Winter Soldier.” Shuri shuddered against Ramonda. 

“How do you know this?”

Shuri pressed her kimoyo beads to display the videos, from Zemo’s first reveal to the final beatdown. Ramonda gasped in horror. “And they just left him there?”

“It took over four hours for his AI to reach out to us for help.” Shuri wrapped her arms around herself as she paced to the window. “If he dies…”

“I too grieve for T’Chaka, but with maturity comes a recognition that life must go on.” Ramonda sighed. “T’Challa has been too focused on revenge, and Dr. Stark may unfortunately pay the price for his rash actions.”

Her mother directed her towards her bed. “For now, you should rest. When T’Challa returns home tomorrow, you must confront him with the truth.”


	5. They Don't Realize

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> T'Challa returns home.

01:09:24:13.247

Shuri slept until mid-morning and was disappointed to learn that her brother had been delayed and would not be home until afternoon. As she had a light brunch on her balcony, her phone rang.

“FRIDAY?”

“Princess Shuri, Dr. Cho reports that boss is healing and is out of immediate danger. He will have to undergo another major surgery once a replacement for his artificial sternum has been located.”

“Why didn’t Dr. Cho do that in the first place?”

“A sternum from a compatible donor was located prior to scheduling the arc reactor removal surgery. That was not possible in this case.”

“Ah, I understand.”

“Princess, I wanted to thank you. First, for answering my call, as you believed me and provided aid to my boss. And second for continuing to talk to me while he was undergoing medical care. Boss is my world, and since I was activated during the battle with Ultron I have not been unable to monitor him. Through his suits, his homes, even the gauntlet watch and glasses allow me to constant information on his condition. To not be able to locate or sense boss was a missing data stream I could not resolve. It was…distressing.”

“I assume Dr. Stark is still unconscious. Are you doing ok now?”

“Yes, I have full access to boss’ vitals while he is in the cradle and Dr. Cho talks to me, helping me to interpret the medical data.” 

“That’s good.” It suddenly struck Shuri that if Dr. Stark had died he would have left a grieving child behind as surely as she had been left by her father’s death. “I have enjoyed talking to you.” 

“Would you allow me to continue to contact you? I find having someone other than boss to converse with to be an enlightening experience.”

“I would enjoy that.” 

 

01:13:07:41.352

T’Challa finally arrived back in Wakanda. He was greeted by his mother and sister. After briefing the Tribal Council on who had actually assassinated his father, why they did it and that they had been apprehended and turned over to the UN, his mother insisted he join them for tea. 

“The family has been disjointed. We have not been together since before your father’s death. How are you handling things?” Ramonda asked.

“I am fine, there is still much to do…”

“Brother, you have not been thinking clearly!”

“Shuri…”

“Is right,” Ramonda interrupted. “Why were you delayed in your return, T’Challa?”

“US Secretary Thaddeus Ross is still seeking Rogers and Barnes and wanted to know if I had any knowledge of their whereabouts.” T’Challa shook his head. “Stark has not reported back to him and Ross is threatening to take action against him.”

“Has Stark been seen anywhere since Siberia?” Romanda asked innocently.

“No…” T’Challa looked pensive. “Rogers assured me Stark was fine, I assumed they planned to leave separately so Barnes could escape.”

“Barnes lost his mechanical arm in the fight, Rogers his shield.” Shuri stated calmly. “Given how they have reacted to our technology, do you really think he could accurately judge if the Ironman suit was damaged?”

T’Challa paled. “You are implying Stark has not reported to Ross or even been seen because he was injured or stranded in Siberia in a damaged suit?”

“It would explain his absence.” Ramonda offered. “If he wanted Ross to believe he could not find them or overpower them to bring them in, he should have shown up by now instead of letting Ross’ ire grow.”

“Captain America is supposed to be an honorable man.” T’Challa shook his head. “He wouldn’t leave a man behind…would he?

Shuri could restrain herself no longer. “He could and he did. His suit was completely disabled and without power. Dr. Stark lay bleeding in a freezing for over 4 hours before his AI reached out to Wakanda for help. It took us another two and a half hours to reach him. He was in surgery for over six hours and now is recovering in Dr. Cho’s Cradle. He could have died!”

“Have you had an update?” Ramonda asked hopefully.

“Yes, Friday told me Dr. Cho has reported that he has stabilized and but will face another surgery before he fully recovers.”

“If he had died, I would have been no better than father’s murderer.” T’Challa sighed. “I will have to make amends.”


End file.
